Rotary type relays



Sept. 20, 1955 B. A. SOMERS 2,718,568

ROTARY TYPE RELAYS Filed Aug. 19, 1952 ll I United. States Patent Ofi ice 2,718,568 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 ROTARY TYPE RELAYS Brock A. Somers, Simsbury, Conn., assignor to Connectlcut Valley Enterprises Incorporated, Granliy, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 19, 1952, Serial No. 305,230 6 Claims. (Cl. 200--87) This invention relates to electrical relays and more particularly to a relay so constructed that the movement of the armature will not be effected by outside or extraneous forces such, for example, as the force of acceleration if the relay is used upon a moving object.

An electrical relay such as is employed in the present instance usually comprises an electromagnet and an armature adapted to be attracted by and moved toward the magnet, the movement of the armature serving to operate a switch to open or close a circuit, sometimes called a load circuit. In some instances these devices are relatively small and the movement of the armature necessary to actuate a switch to open or close a circuit is also relatively small. Where the relay is mounted upon or used in connection with a moving object such, for example, as a rocket or jet plane which is subject to movements involving high or rapid acceleration, the force exerted by the latter on the armature might serve to prevent the movement thereof if this force were in a direction opposite that of the movement of the armature.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide a relay having an armature mounted to rotate or move about a pivot or axis, the armature being so designed that it will be substantially balanced about this axis so that a force of acceleration will act equally upon that portion of the armature on each side of the axis, and as a result will have no effect upon the movement of the armature. In other words, when the device is subjected to forces of acceleration and such forces acting upon the armature at one side of the axis will tend to resist movement thereof, this force would be opposed by an equal force upon the other side of the axis, acting in the direction of movement so that the resultant of the two forces would be zero.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrical relay of the rotary type.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical relay having an armature mounted for pivotal or rotary movement about an axis which substantially passes through the center of mass of the armature.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electrical relay provided with a rotatably mounted armature, the armature being so constructed that it is substantially balanced with respect to the axis about which it moves in order that a force of acceleration will not affect the movement of the armature by the magnet of the latter.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a relay embodying my invention, the casing or cap being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, the casing having been removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. l;

. rial.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the armature in another position; and

Fig. 6 is a view of the armature of the relay magnet.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown in Fig. l of the drawings a relay comprising a base 10 which serves as a support for the relay structure. Telescoped over the base and extending upwardly therefrom is a cap 11 shown in dotted lines, which cap serves to cover the interior mechanism and may or may not be used as desired.

Secured to the base 10 is a U-shaped supporting bridge member 12, this member being cut away at its central portion, as shown at 13, to provide a space for the resilient switch or contact members, as will be hereinafter explained.

Mounted upon the member 12 is an electromagnet, this magnet comprising a coil 14, which coil surrounds the horizontal portion of a U-shaped core 15, the legs 16 and 17 of which rest upon and are secured to the member 12. The coil 14 is provided with lead Wires 13 and 19 which extend to and are connected with terminal posts 2% and 21 secured to the support 10. Wires (not shown) may be connected with these terminals in order to supply the coil 14 with an energizing current in any desired manner.

Also secured to the supporting member 10 are a number of additional terminal posts which are the terminals of circuits to be closed by the armature of the relay. As shown, for example, in Figs. 4 and 5, terminals 23 and 24 are provided at one side of the legs of the magnet, which terminals are adapted to be selectively connected to a terminal 25 at the other side. A spring contact member 26 mounted upon the post 25 is adapted to contact one or the other of the posts 23 and 24 so as to electrically connect these members and carry a current from the post 25 to the circuit which includes the terminal 23 or the terminal 24 as desired.

Likewise, a post 27 is mounted upon the base 10 to which is connected a spring contact member 28 which is adapted to make contact selectively with the posts 29 and 30 so that an electric circuit may be completed between the post 27 and either the post 29 or 30 as required. It will be understood that while two switch members are shown, this number may be varied if desired.

The bridge member 32 (Fig. 3) spans the space between the legs of the core just below the coil 14 and a pivot pin 33 is secured at its upper end in the member 32 and at its lower end in the central portion of the member 12. Rotatably mounted upon this pivot pin is the armature 34, the latter being of sufficient length to extend outwardly over the legs 16 and 17 of the core which are cut away, as shown at 35 and 36, to receive the ends of the armature which are beveled, as shown at 37 and 38. It will be noted that the ends of the armature are on opposite sides of the legs 16 and 17 so that rotation of this member about its axis will cause both of the ends of the armature to approach the magnetic poles or, if rotated in the opposite direction, to move away from the magnetic poles.

Secured upon opposite sides of the armature member 34 are L-shaped arms 40 and 41, these arms being provided with horizontally extending portions adjacent the armature and downwardly projecting end portions provided with terminals 42 and 43 of insulating mate- The terminal 42 is adapted to engage and move the spring contact member 26 while the terminal 43 engages and moves the spring contact member 28 when the armature is rotated so as to move these contact members into engagement with the contact members 23 or 30. The resilience of the contact members causes them to move in the other direction when the armature is permitted to move away from the poles of the magnet. The members 40 are formed of wire or the like and, as the horizontal portions of these members are rigidly connected at their ends to the armature, pressure upon the terminals 42 and 43 will subject the horizontal portion of these members to a torsional strain. The result will be a slight torsional movement of these portions of the members 40 and 41 when they are in the position shown in Fig. 5 with the terminal portions bearing against the members 26 and 28 so as to allow a slight overtravel of the armature, if necessary, after the spring contacts have been engaged with their respective posts 23 and 30.

The approach of the ends of the armature to the magnet poles 16 and 17 may be adjustably limited by the screw 44 threaded into the pole 17, while the outward movement of the ends of the armature away from the magnetic poles may be adjustably limited by the screw 45 threaded into a bracket 46 secured to the upper portion of the pole 17, as shown more especially in Fig. 2.

The operation of the relay may be briefly described as follows. Normally the armature is in the position shown in Figs. 1 to 4 when the coil 14 is de-energized, and the inherent resilience of the contact members 26 and 28 maintains the former of these members in engagement with the terminal 24 and the latter in engagement with the terminal 29. Engagement of these members with the insulated portions 42 and 43 of the arms 40 and 41 holds the end portions of the armature 34 away from the poles of the magnet and against the stop screw 45. In this position of the parts the binding posts 25 and 27 will be electrically connected with the terminals 24 and 29 by the spring contact members 26 and 28.

As the coil is energized by connecting the posts 20 and 21 to a source of current, the armature will be caused to rotate about its axis 33 and the ends of the armature are drawn toward the respective poles. This causes the parts of the device to assume the position shown in Fig. 5 in which the ends of the armature have approached as near to the magnet poles as is permitted by the stop screw 44. The terminals 42 and 43 of the arms 40 and 41 will then have engaged the resilient spring contact members 26 and 28 and moved the former into engagement with the terminal pole 23 and the latter into engagement with the terminal pole 30 so that current from the binding posts 25 and 27 now passes to the terminals 23 and 3% respectively. As stated, the horizontal portions of the members 40 and 41 will be under a slight torsional strain, and the torsional movement of these members permits overtravel of the armature without undue pressure upon the spring contact members.

It will also be seen that the armature is in balance about its axis of rotation 33 and, as the ends of the armature move in opposite directions toward and away from the respective poles of the relay magnet, this movement will not be affected by forces of acceleration which will act equally upon the armature on both sides of the axis of rotation.

If the support is of conducting material, the various terminals passing therethrough are insulated from the support as shown at 47.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a bridge member secured at one face of the supporting member and being cut away at its face adjacent the supporting member to provide a space between said members, a U-shaped electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles, the free ends of which are secured to said bridge member on the side thereof opposite the supporting member, an armature rotatably mounted upon said bridge member between the magnet poles and extending laterally from its axis toward each of said poles, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member, at least one pair upon each side of said bridge member, a pair of spring contact members, each of which is fixed at one end with respect to the supporting member and extending through said space to a point between the terminals of one pair and having its free end biased towardone terminal of said pair, means actuated bysaid armature and engaging each of said spring contact members to move the latter into engagement with the other of said pair of terminals when the electromagnet is energized, and said armature being substantially balanced about its axis.

2. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a bridge member secured at one face of the supporting member and being cut away at its face adjacent the supporting member to provide a space between said members, a U-shaped electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles, the free ends of which are secured to said bridge member on the side thereof opposite the supporting member, an armature rotatably mounted upon said bridge member between the magnet poles and extending laterally from its axis toward each of said poles, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member, at least one pair upon each side of said bridge member, a pair of spring contact members, each of which is fixed at one end with respect to the supporting member and extending through said space to a point between the terminals of one pair and having its free end biased toward one terminal of said pair, said armature being substantially balanced about its axis, and a resilient member secured at each side of said armature and extending toward said supporting member to engage the free end of one of said spring contact members to move the latter into engagement with the other of said pair of terminals when the armature is actuated.

3. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a bridge member secured at one face of the supporting member and being cut away at its face adjacent the supporting member to provide a space between said members, a U-shaped electromagnet having a pair of spaced poles, the free ends of which are secured to said bridge member on the side thereof opposite the supporting member, an armature rotatably mounted upon said bridge member between the magnet poles and extending laterally from its axis toward each of said poles, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member, at least one pair upon each side of said bridge member, a pair of spring contact members, each of which is fixed at one end with respect to the supporting member and extending through said space to a point between the terminals of one pair and having its free end biased toward one terminal of said pair, means actuated by said armature and engaging each of said spring contact members to move the latter into engagement with the other of said pair of terminals when the electromagnet is energized, said armature being substantially balanced about its axis, and said contact members normally biasing said armature in a direction away from the magnet poles.

4. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a U-shaped electromagnet carried by said member, said magnet comprising a pair of spaced poles having free end portions extending toward andfixedly secured to said supporting member in spaced relation thereto, an armature rotatably mounted between the magnet poles and extending laterally from its axis toward each of said poles, said armature being mounted in spaced relation to the supporting member, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member, a pair of spring contact members, each of which is fixed at one end with respect to the supporting member and has itsfree end extending between and biased toward one of a pair of terminals, said contact members extending between the armature and the supporting member, a resilient member secured at each side of the armature and extending toward the supporting member to engage one of said spring contact members to move the latter into engagement with the other of said pair of terminals when the armature is actuated, said armature being substantially balanced about its axis, and a pair of spaced bridge members, one above and one below said armature and fixed with respect to the poles of the magnet, and said armature lying between said bridge members and being pivotally carried thereby.

5. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a U-shaped electromagnet carried by said member, said magnet comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel opposing poles having free end portions extending toward and fixedly secured at one face of said supporting member, an armature rotatably mounted between the magnet poles on the same side of said supporting member as the magnet and extending at right angles to its axis of rotation with the ends of the armature extending toward the opposing magnet poles, said armature being mounted in spaced relation to the supporting member, and on an axis substantially parallel to the magnet poles, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member in the space between it and the armature, a plurality of spring contact members each of which is fixed at one end with respect to the supporting member and has its free end extending between and being biased toward one of a pair of terminals, said contact members lying between the armature and the supporting member, fingers secured at opposite sides of the armature and extending toward the supporting member, each of said fingers being adapted to engage one of said spring contact members to move the latter into engagement with the other of said pair of terminals when the armature is rotated, and said armature being substantially balanced about its axis.

6. An electrical relay comprising a supporting member, a U-shaped electromagnet, said magnet having substantially parallel leg portions lying in the same plane and constituting spaced opposing magnetic poles having their free end portions extending toward and secured at one face of the supporting member to space the bight portion of the magnet from the supporting member, an armature pivotally mounted between said supporting member and the bight portion of the magnet in spaced relation to the supporting member and on an axis parallel to said leg portions with its ends extending at right angles to its axis toward the leg portions of the magnet, a plurality of pairs of terminals carried by the supporting member in the space between it and the armature, contact blades each fixed at one end on the supporting member and biased in the direction to engage one of a pair of said terminals at its free end, said blades lying between the armature and the supporting member, fingers projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the armature and then substantially parallel to the sides of the armature toward said blades, and each of said blades being operatively positioned to be moved by one of said fingers, when said armature is moved on its pivot, to a position to engage the other of said pair of terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,356,501 Adams et a1 Oct. 19, 1920 1,696,170 Leake Dec. 18, 1928 1,767,104 Volkman et al June 24, 1930 2,344,809 Eaton Mar. 21, 1944 2,445,401 Langer July 20, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 572,686 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1945 

